The Official Album Review Thread

Discuss any band that's not called Alter Bridge.
User avatar
maximzub
On The Rail
Posts: 1328
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:57 am
Location: Where women don't exist.

The Official Album Review Thread

Post by maximzub »

Inspired by all the in-depth reviews of Pawns & Kings, I would like to see what people have to say about their favorite albums from other bands. I will for sure chime in as well. This can be for any band and any album that you like.
I'm in love with somebody...
Found someone who completes me...
I'm in love with somebody...
Oh yeah...
And it's Lzzy Hale!

MaraCarr wrote: It is not like a crush or a lust thing.
Check out my coolest TABN posts!
My Long Alter Bridge Facts Post
Order Of Me Hearing Alter Bridge Songs
Order Of Me Hearing Tremonti Songs

cheesedip1
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 876
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 1:36 am

Re: The Official Album Review Thread

Post by cheesedip1 »

Fall Out Boy's 2nd album is pretty solid top to bottom.

Same with 3rd vertical horizon album, Superunknown album by Soundgarden, self-titled album by Hoobastank and debut album by Matchbox 20.

Down on the upside album is like half great songs, half whatever songs.
Last edited by cheesedip1 on Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Wait for it!

Post by Schulzy »

I've listened to almost 20 new albums this year. It will be hard to pick my annual top 10. I will write up a few complete reviews of the most recent for this thread. Just.......wait!
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Nothing More - Spirits Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

Here's the first - Nothing More - Spirits Album Review. Third full listen.

Turn It Up Like (Stand In The Fire) - This was the first single. It builds nicely for the first minute or so to explode in your speakers. The bass and drums are thunderous (a common trend throughout this album). Very neat guitar/keyboard style effect around the 3:00 mark. The lyrics are not my favorite but I get the theme of technology/internet culture infecting us. I like the contrast of Jonny singing and almost spitting spoken snippets throughout. 6/10



Tired of Winning - an instant favorite for me. I like the roundabout bum-ba-da-da-da that drives the song. Then the dropout for first verse. All kinds of crazy sounds going on in the background if you listen on headphones. Love the "DIE OUT!" Great vocal effect at 1:24. "Live this life alone" sounds great with the up and down singing. Ends with a great howl and then transitions directly into.... 8/10



Ships In The Night - one of their spoken word songs backed by intense drumming. Don't quite get the idea of what's being said. At the 1:12 mark it goes full blast with a "yeah" and then the guitars and drums really kick in. "ever since the beginning we've been feeling the ending, and keep on pretending". Jonny asks "are we missing the meaning, are we missing the feeling, a life we're not living, just like ships in the night?" Think about that for a while. 5/10.

You Don't Know What Love Means - starts out and you think this is going to be a soft song. Nope, guitars start at around :30. Then the drums and a spacey kind of slide. Kind of waltzy sounding. I'm not good with time signatures - is this 3/4 or 6/8? Second verse, "I tried and tried, til it made me sick. Round and round a toxic mix. Walls built up, you shut down". Wow, almost exactly what I said to my ex-fiance back in 2014 a month before we were supposed to get married. Jonny asks "Can we make it further on our own? Crashing endlessly. Let's be honest. We keep colliding and we're losing hope." Man, this one hit me hard. 7/10.



Don't Look Back - trippy, hip-hop feel to the beginning - very cool. Is that called sub-bass? Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy. "I want nothing to do with you!" Great dropout with "Don't look back". Then "push of a button, you only try when someone's watching. Watching!" - sounds awesome! Nothing's enough when your soul is missing! Synthy organ sounds kick in around 1:50. "I'm done lying to myself. Don't look back!". The climbing part at 2:35 - "I'm done!". They do this type of song really well - lots of transitions with great loud/soft dynamics. Another favorite for me. 8/10.

The Other F Word - this one feels like Rage Against The Machine. "Call out the FAKE!" Turns into a driving, straightforward rock feel. I like the da-da-da-da-duh-duh-duh-Da! guitar line. Some cool panning at 2:12. Then it really kicks in "call it like you see it! Call out the FAKE!" "Every half truth will be half wrong some day. Listen to your gut, son". 7/10

Face It - a long one at 6:27. Another slow build with bass and strong chamber/echo effect on Jonny's voice. There's that same bombastic transition with super pronounced bass and drum. Love the feel when the chorus kicks in at 1:50. Man, what a groove. The drums sound INCREDIBLE on this song - so pronounced and they just punch you in the face. I actually feel like I'm being hit in the nose. This is a song where I want to really go back and listen over and over to get all of the lyrics. Has a Phil Collins - 80s kind of feel at 3:45. The guitar work at 4:30 is somewhat unsettling. Then drum build "It's time!" with an almost metalcore growl at 4:55. "No more time. No more light. The sun has turned, and the moon has died." It slows down beautifully with a full, atmospheric sound. Great song - 8.5/10.

Best Times - kind of a tinky muted sound at the beginning. Again, the drums and bass - so clear and pronounced. "I'm so tired of tearing down the people I care about. My head has my heart boxed out". Super happy sound - but Jonny actually says "It's bittersweet". THAT is the feel of this song. Singing about how the best times come and go. "When all my life passes by, what's left in my heart are the best times". 6/10.



Deja Vu - how many times can I talk about the drums? Slower paced song. "I'm a monster and a man, you see me for what I am". I don't quite feel this song and feel my attention drifting. A bit of a lull in the album but maybe that's intentional. 4.5-5/10.

Dream With Me - Whoa! Dare I say an Alter Bridge Island of Fools - esque feel? Heavy. There's the "Let's Go!" Jonny's voice is veering into the screechy ouch zone here. "Dream with me, close your eyes and believe with me". What a change at 1:48! "It holds us to the ground like animals". Another transition at 2:48 - creeeeeepy. Jonny sounds almost like his voice is drenched in slime here. At 3:50 it goes almost poppy. Very synth heavy and finishes with that classic Nothing More abrupt stop. 8/10 that could have been higher if not for the voice.

Neverland - another spoken thing. "We have this strange feeling.......that we have never had in our lives". Backed by fuzzy piano - Dream With Me. Don't you die on me. Weird. Next song please......1/10. You can feel the buildup.

Valhalla (Too Young To See) - starts with beautiful acoustic feel. This is the sweet spot for Jonny's voice. I could listen to this all day. "Some people's minds just aren't worth changing. Some people's games just aren't worth playing". Build, build, build! 1:07 - DRUMS! BASS! Lights! Gradual speed-up! I love the wind-up effect at 1:41. "I fell from the nest and into a dream, like fruit from the tree it changed what I believe". A neat almost 80s doodly in the background. When this song kicks in it REALLY kicks in. The emphasis on the chorus is so good. Head bang time at 2:58. Guitar tone here is filthy. Double kick drums. "Time to love and a time to hate". 4:10 mark is absolutely crazy sounding - major distortion and you actually feel the wind-down. It goes into spoken word - "Let yourself go. In the faith that you will arrive back in one piece. It's alright. There's nothing else you need to do. Now look, do you know what you're doing? You are trying to hold yourself together. As if your skin weren't strong enough to contain you." 9/10.

And finally Spirits - "it's a little bit heavenly, a little bit sick!". Love that! Bass-a-rama. "I don't feel quite like myself!". This is one of the few songs where it feels like there's multiple Jonny's singing and I like it because they aren't necessarily harmonizing. It just make it feel so expansive. "Spirits coooome through, make allllll things newwwwwww!". Goes full out at 2:35 - I love the drums here. Back to quiet at 3:00. "It's a little bit make believe, a little bit true". Jazzy feel and the bass just shines here. Jonny holds a long note and then screams "It's killing me! Something has to change!". Awesome 8/10!



Final thoughts - I don't like it as well as The Stories We Tell Ourselves which was my favorite album in 2017 - 9/10. Some really strong moments and then some head scratchers. Overall I'd give it 7.5 out of 10. Edited to raise the score from 6.5.
Last edited by Schulzy on Tue Oct 18, 2022 6:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

We Came As Romans - Darkbloom Review

Post by Schulzy »

We Came As Romans - Darkbloom Album Review - dedicated to Kyle Pavone. Video links for every song.

Darkbloom - I like the whoas at the beginning and Siri/Alexa - "I am Darkbloom". The chorus is super catchy "I won't pretend that I can see the end, the light may fade but I won't wither away". The production on this can get pretty muddy and it's wayyyy too loud. The instruments are hard to discern and electronic effects at the end start to make my head hurt. 5/10.



Plagued - When this single was first released I said, "what is this intro it's a total mess". So overproduced it's painfully mushy sounding. Dave's more quiet singing moments of the song are not bad, but you can tell they really miss Kyle. 2:15 has a nice pulse to it. Instrument dropout "I can't escape this hell that I live in, I can't erase the choices we made". After that almost unintelligible. 4.5/10.



Black Hole (featuring Caleb Shomo of Beartooth) - This song sounds great. Intro has a nice buildup. I like the stuttery Bu-bu-bla-ck Ho-o-o-le. "As soon as I turn around, convinced that I'm safe and sound, I feel both feet on the ground, I fall into a Black Hole again". This one's a super sing-a-long. 8.5/10



Daggers - electronic intro driven into 100mph riff. Again, hard to understand the lyrics - buried behind the guitars, drums, and effects. Wayyyyyyyy tooooooo looooooud! Rapped verses at 1:16 from Zero 9:36. Some bands do this well but here it falls flat. I like the "No Mercy!" Breakdown is good. 5/10.



Golden - head bobbing riff. Beautiful singing. There's a tumbling drum feel. The vocals ride well on top of the guitar here. "Show me the way to go on without you there. When our time was stolen and our years were golden". I always like woahs in metalcore. The ending with synths has a good feel and punch. 8/10.



One More Day - piano and stripped down singing at the start. Programmed beat. It's a pleading, apologetic song. You can feel the sadness wishing that they could have helped the person deal with their demons and they were still here (probably in reference to Kyle's passing). Nice instrumental outro. 7/10.



Doublespeak - I don't know why but this song intro reminds me of Missy Elliott - not a good thing. Again, I can't understand what David is saying. When the guitars kick in it's got some nice heft. The tone is decent here too. That beat over the vocals hurts - a lot. All I can take from this song is something about judgement and being angry - "Choke on your words". I don't like this AT ALL. .5/10.



The Anchor - good groove with synthy stabs. Again, this song has the vocals positioned just right in the mix - clear. Some Bring Me The Horizon vibes here. Regretful song about somebody leaving "since the day that you left I can't seem to move on" and the depressed feelings afterwards. 6.5/10.



Holding the Embers - has a vinyl record type start. More programming. Crystal clear vocals! "Every day is a new day". Hopeful. "But I've gotta try to let this go. The past, the pain, the shame I know. No looking back, no losing hope. I'll bury my fear at the end of the road.
DIG!" I like the message of this song a lot - struggling with who you are and the life journey you've taken but trying to make changes for the better. Ends with a clock ticking that transitions into.... 8/10.



Promise You - very emotional song. You can feel this is another tribute to Kyle. 7/10.



I can't imagine trying to write an album after losing one of your bandmates and closest friends. Darkbloom is an uneven record with some great moments but is plagued (pun intended) by poor production and some very low points - Doublespeak. Album rating 5/10. In my opinion this album was mightily overshadowed by their metalcore contemporaries that also released albums this year - Memphis May Fire - Remade in Misery, and Wolves At The Gate - Eulogies. I will write up those reviews later.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Amongst the Giants - Desolate Minds Review

Post by Schulzy »

Amongst the Giants - Desolate Minds EP Review. I really liked their debut album Obscene.

Adversary - "I know you think you've got the best of me, sit atop your tower of ivory". The guitars on this are nasty. Clean vocals sound REALLY good. A nice "Blegh" before the breakdown. I don't think they have a bass player on this song and the guitars really cut through. Can sound a little thin at times but overall a great way to start the album. 8/10.



Black Box - this was the first single. Cool effect over the muted vocal. Drums and guitars kick in nicely. "I hate the way that I have become. Why am I paranoid all of the time?" Full lyrics - https://www.amongstthegiants.com/lyrics. I wish Alter Bridge would offer this on their website. You can hear more of a bass line at the 1:10 mark. A song about dealing with mental health - darkness in your thoughts/mind. 8/10.



Medicated - soft strumming. Voice is front and center. A little programmed beat. When the guitars come in fully there are great little licks at :57, 1:00, 1:05. Soaring chorus - "I can feel you're slipping". Great transition at 1:37. The back and forth between clean and harsh vocals is very well done. Then a great growl at 1:52. "Even medicated, I barely make it, I can't escape it, a life sedated". Breathy. Then a scream, "I'll always keep on TRYING!". Some keyboards at the end. 8/10.



Love Pain - an absolute STOMPER! Fantastic drumming. Here come the "Whoas!". Move your head! "I crucify myself tonight, cut my tongue on all the lies!" 2:08 - guitar tone is sharp. "I guess I love pain! I thought had control!" My favorite on the album - 9.5/10!



Lamenter - speed riff! This sounds like classic metalcore to me coupled with the "Yeah". Unclean vocals dominate. A nice guitar divebomb. "Just bury me!" The final minute of this song is insane! Very heavy Memphis May Fire vibes. 8/10.



Hourglass - similar opening to Medicated with strummed guitar and very clean vocals. Finger snaps!? The line that stuck out was "go home, bury a friend". The lyric - "I need to know that there's something after the suffering, that makes it worth living" - is a difficult thought or question to grapple with. Goes into piano at 2:55. "Fall inside the hourglass, the sands of time they flow so fast, every grain another life, pushed through pain, sift through strife". Then we get strings (violins) at the tail end. Yes, emotional but often overdone. 7/10.



I'm very pleased with this collection of songs. Amongst the Giants continues to impress me. I feel there are a few bands that outclass them in the Christian Metalcore genre with more polish and better musical skill - MMF and Wolves at The Gate - but I will put these guys solidly at 8/10.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Icon For Hire - The Reckoning Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

Icon For Hire - The Reckoning Album Review. Here is a link to Ariel's story about dealing with self hatred and depression - https://arielbloomer.com/my-story/

The Ascent - Sort of a movie type intro. A big boom and single note carry for about 20 seconds and then piano. The beat starts, and distorted - "I think I'm ready for it!" Gets me ready!

Breakdown - I heard this song on Pandora and it burst out of my headphones. Crazy catchy! "I'm always up for a breakdown". I'd never listened to Icon For Hire before and immediately was like, "who is this?" Cool programmed beat in the verses and HEAVY bass. The guitars give me instant Skillet/Thousand Foot Krutch feel which doesn't surprise me based on the fact they were on Tooth & Nail. Ariel's vocals have some auto tune kind of thing going. Sort of Gwen Stefaniish in the rapping sections. She lacks the grit of somebody like Lzzy Hale but I can't deny (yes Myles) that I like this - a lot. 8.5/10



Ready For Combat - instant kick-the-door-in guitar riff. Similar thematic material to Skillet or TFK - fighting off a challenger, proving your toughness. Ariel rapping again. "Back off!" I love her cutesy "I've been saving all my savage up just for you!". Some may call this kind of hard rock too simple but it works for me. Strong drum and bass work here coupled with another sub-bass dive bomb. She goes into the shouty chorus - the weakness in her voice comes out here. Not her strong suit. 7/10.



Dismantled - slows down a bit with muted guitar. Thumping bass with a heartbeat kind of pulse. Ariel's voice almost sounds blown out at some points. "Take my heart, go ahead and strip me for parts. Pieces have gone missing, no survival instinct". I like how her voice rises in "I will make it through". Some strings at the 2:00 mark. Somewhat repetitive. 6/10.



Fore - sounds big from the opening - more heavy bass, strings, and oohs along with muted background vocal leading into

Shadow - the second song I heard from this album. I read that Keith Whallen from Breaking Benjamin helped her with this song. Opens with searing lead guitar over riff. This is Ariel's sweet spot vocally, "Life's a little brutal". Another hip-hop vibe in the pre-chorus. "I'm going to drag my shadow into the light, let my monsters eat me alive". I move my shoulders to this. String buildup for the second half. She does nice whisper singing but is never drowned out completely by music. Nice guitar work over her yeahs. Cool echos for the final chorus. Notable drumwork at the tail end. 7.5/10.



Emo Dreams - this is where we get introspective Ariel. Super hip-hoppy with trap beat. Then guitars and synth come in. Commentary on what it's like to become a superstar, but losing yourself in the process. Having other people tell you who to be or how to act. Lonely. Interesting subject matter but not my favorite song. 6/10.

Interference - very quick lead into.....

Gatekeepers - I.......LOVE......this! These are the kind of guitar riffs I like to play - I describe them as run-arounds. "Calling all psychos!" The la-la-las are tons of fun. I think this is the best guitar work on the album. Absolutely perfect accent to the vocals and gives them extra oomph. "This one's going out to the gatekeepers trying to keep out all the daydreamers!" It's a loud song but has great balance - I can hear the guitars, drums, effects, and vocals very clearly. 9/10!



All I See Is Darkness - just Ariel singing for about 30 seconds. Her sweet spot again right around :50. Very smooth. Straightforward hard rock done very well. Nothing groundbreaking or particularly special. Harmonized vocal effect at the end is nice. 6.5-7/10.

Sunflower - now we get super quiet. Piano and Ariel singing - "It's so dark and cloudy in my room". Heavy beats here. A song about facing fears but being scared at the same time. A mention of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Raindrops come in at the end. 6.5-7/10.

Diseased - clock ticking. "We are all diseased if you please, we are all diseased if you don't please". The heavy beats continue here. Count ups - one, two, three, four - "I declare we're done for". Rapid rapping at 2:03 with a mention of "Pop-Metal". 7/10.

Messed Up - opens with a nice bass line. More rapping. Talking about putting mental issues into songs. She says, "my therapist is sick of me, so what's a girl to do? I'm messed up but I'm trying to love myself". Sprinkled piano throughout. 6/10.

A great introduction to this band for me. Quite a mix of high points early on and mid points as it carries through. The overall message is about about dealing with mental health and admitting when you have problems. Icon For Hire uses music as a form of therapy and it's effective. Album rating 6.5/10.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

cheesedip1
Hardcore TABN'er
Posts: 876
Joined: Fri May 09, 2014 1:36 am

Re: The Official Album Review Thread

Post by cheesedip1 »

Soundgarden’s 4th album, Superunknown is pretty solid top to bottom.

Same with Vertical Horizon’s 3rd album, Hoobastank’s self-tilted album, and Matchbox 20’s debut album.

Soundgarden’s 5th album, Down on the Upside is like half and half. Half the songs are great. Half are whatever.

With Fiona Apple I liked her first 2 albums more than the other ones.
Last edited by cheesedip1 on Wed Oct 19, 2022 5:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Until I Wake - What's Inside My Head Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

Until I Wake - What's Inside My Head Album Review

The Sacrifice - strange intro. Spoken......"our saviors have come from beyond the stars to unite us".....okaaaaaay.

Forsaken - fast paced - machine gun drumming with screamed lyrics. "We have been forsaken.....we cannot be saved!" The clean chorus is well done otherwise nothing memorable. Cody Johnson's voice has a nice quality to it. Guitars have some sharpness. More programmed electronic beats which pop up quite a bit in modern metalcore. 4/10.

Fake - heavy bass beats. I have no idea what is being said at the beginning. This is good lower singing from Cody. The chorus soars again - the whole idea of "Fake" has showed up several times from different bands this year. 1:25 things get heavy. 4/10.



Octane - guitars drone into the main riff. Very pronounced bass. These guys do catchy choruses very well but I feel like I know exactly what chord changes are coming. 2:03 we get heavy again. More hip hop type breaks. 4/10.



Reasons - electronic intro....and some monotonous rapping. Catchy chorus - "There's reasons I can't get close". Notice anything consistent here? Song structures are pretty basic - intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, breakdown/quiet section, chorus. This song actually has a short solo in it from 1:55-2:05. 4/10.

hope ur happy - why the lowercase? This has my favorite guitar intro and riff - feels a little like slowed down "Coma" from the band Issues. The singing throughout this album feels like it's all in the same range - "Don't look up when you walk away!". Strange vocal effect around :50. Keyboard do-de-do-de in the background. Super screaming at 2:30. 5.5/10.



Inside My Head - this was the first song I heard from the band and one I'd recommend checking out at least once. It caught my ear enough to give their album a few listens. "One by one your words have torn me up, I hear them ringing inside my head". Very heavy vocal effects towards the end. 6/10.



Still Sinking - drumming is very good here. A big "blegh". The unclean vocals lack some oomph. Questioning "How long can I keep this up?" Keyboard time. At this point in the album things are starting to feel overly formulaic. 4/10.

Undeserving - slow change of pace song. Piano intro with programmed beat. Again, the vocal melody feels very similar to all of the other songs. My least favorite song on the album - bad when I'm thinking, "is it over yet?". 1.5/10.

Blue Beam - alien abduction? Head bobbing riff, but screetchy/eery noise over top. Feels like they are trying way too hard to be "heavy". Very artificial choir sound in the background. The chugfest ends the song along with that horror movie noise. 4/10.

For The Record - i like this one pretty well. Good drumming like Still Sinking. Reminds me of Yellowcard and Kyle Pavone from We Came As Romans. The breakdown is the best on the album. I feel like a "broken record" in trying to describe this band - they have flashes of excellence but settle into mediocrity. 6.5/10.

Legacy - sounds like a total rip-off of Linkin Park's New Divide.....what else can I say about the song? They tried to mix it up at the end with yet more heavy screaming. 2/10.

Marching Forward - and yet mooooore unclean screamed vocals. Chug-a-da-chug-chug. Clean singing. More screaming and chugging. Semi-interesting guitar lines. More screaming and chug....oh you get the idea......but wait, at the very end it's HEAVY chugging and some Agnus Dei chants to make it sound "epic"! 4/10.

Well, maybe I'm being a bit harsh because I'm tired but it's hard to give this album more than a 3 or 4/10. I can remember a few of the choruses but otherwise completely forgettable all the way around. My suggestion is to check out Inside My Head, hope ur happy, and For The Record.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Spiritbox - Eternal Blue Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

After reviewing new albums released in 2022 I decided to take a break from listening to Alter Bridge, Nothing More, and Icon For Hire to revisit my favorites from the last few years.

First and foremost is Spiritbox's Eternal Blue Album - released September 17th, 2021. Many are already familiar with the band but for those who are not PLEASE do yourself a favor and give them a try. I can't remember the exact day or month when I discovered the band, but can envision Courtney's blue hair on a YouTube recommendation and wondered who they were. Rather than breaking down each song one by one I will summarize the album and list my top three. The online hype for this release was tremendous based on singles like Rule of Nines and Blessed Be. They didn't even appear on the album! Holy Roller gained a ton of radio airplay with good reason. I don't know how to describe the song without gushing over every little thing. The first time I heard it I was absolutely stunned and felt like a house had been dropped on me.

Let me say that Courtney's vocals on Eternal Blue alternate between angelic, sultry, gut wrenching, savage, crushing, harsh, and gritty. The guitars from Mike Stringer are about as heavy as anything I've ever heard especially on Silk In The Strings. He has signature pick scrapes that show up all over the place. Programming is essential to this band's sound as they scatter electronic elements in practically every song. The drumming and bass are secondary as this is truly Courtney and Mike's show.

My favorite songs from the album are Silk In The Strings, Holy Roller, and Circle With Me.







This band captured my interest in ways that few have done. Every song on the album is instantly recognizable and distinct. I listened to the whole thing again today and am still not tired of it even after close to 50 times. I can't recommend it highly enough. 10/10!
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Wolves At The Gate - Eulogies Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

I started a top 10 albums of the year thread a while ago on this board. The next album I'm going to review will easily end up in the top 3 for 2022. It is from a Christian metalcore group that I discovered in 2019 with their album Eclipse - also highly recommended. I believe this one may top it.

Wolves At The Gate - Eulogies Album Review - released March 11th, 2022.

Shadows - building guitar riff that swirls in the soundstage. Some synth strings enter and ascend the scale with percussive booms giving a strong sense of anticipation. There is a sharp drumbeat coupled with a screamed "Yeah!" to signal we are on our way. Harsh vocals for the verse but very clear. Then the clean chorus kicks in with a repeated line "Staring deep into the darkness of the cave". There is a fullness to the song but each instrument is easy to pick out - drums, guitars, bass, and synths. The song has a building drumbeat towards the end of the song that feeds into the chorus again except this time it feels even bigger (somehow louder?)! The screams accent this song perfectly along with bass lines that add further weight to the voices of Nick and Steve. "So turn and face the shadow!". Almost perfect opener that sets a great tone for the entire album - 9/10.

Peace That Starts The War - another building song that has a strong drumbeat and interesting guitar effect (riding the volume knob along with wah peddle?) that gives an elongated whhhaaaaaaa-ooooooooo. And the bass line is embedded into your brain with persistent note that matches the drums. Verses start very softly. The volume increases along with lyric - "No one can condemn me for a debt or crime that has been paid off". Another big chorus - ended with "This is the peace that starts the Warrrrrrrrrr!". Guitar solo at the 2:00 mark with some doubling effect and synth backing. End of the song just pounds rapidly and suddenly stops - Ba-Boo-Boo-Boom-Boom! Short and sweet - 9/10.



Kiss The Wave - very loud echoed vocals backed by what sounds like a tamborine and hand claps. Man, the drumming on this album is so good! A very fun, sing songy chorus. There is a ton going on here with chants, and then a very cool almost dance music line around 1:09. The vocal dropouts are extremely well done to where the guitars feel pushed forward - and then the vocals come back to match the riffing - I think that is one of the most defining aspects of this band and a hallmark of what outstanding metalcore does well. It gives everything extra emphasis. Later around 1:54 we get the long "Whaaaa-oooooohhhh-aah-ooooohs". Then hybrid spoken/sung lyrics with a very tasteful whum-whum-whum, wha-whum-whum-whum - "Still I face the great divide, I feel that death is closing on either side". Ending of this song just begs for headbang. It's just insanely thick sounding with devastating drums. Another 9/10!

Lights & Fire - starts with a beautiful sounding "Whaa-aah-aah-ah-ah-eh-ah! "I'm hanging here just by a thread". The chorus soars - and the the line - "Sifting through the wreck and ashes, oh. Listen and you'll hear the love that calls" is again mirrored by the guitars. A very cheerful sound. I really like the "Oh-ah-ohs". There is a well placed dropout at 2:16 where it's just vocals, drums, and a very subtle guitar line - almost like a doorbell, or notification - da-dah! Then the bass kicks in followed by guitars. How can you resist singing along with this? Seriously? It stirs my soul. Four in a row 9/10.

Eulogies - the TONE of this song from the opening notes elicits sadness. "Watch it BURN!" Almost scream-rapped verse. Nice trade off of clean and harsh on the pre-chorus. More of a straightforward driving sound with keyboard/synth stabs. We arrive at "A bloody tree, and empty tomb" talking about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Beautiful, thoughtful lyrics, but a slight drop-off after the four opening songs - 7.5/10. However, we then have....

Weight of Glory - I don't know what the sound is at the beginning of this but it brings to mind the leadup to a race of some sort. Crazy, distorted guitars kick in. I make the guitar sound face - duh-duh-da-duh! "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" This gets my head moving with some serious dugga-da-dum-dums. Chanted "Rise, rise, rise, we rise above!" The end riff of this song is every possible word for nasty, sick, filthy, ripping, snarling, that I can come up with and IT MIRRORS THE LYRICS almost exactly. Talk about perfect punctuation. It DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER! WOW! 10/10 all day - my favorite on the album!

Fight like we're living out our last days
All the blood and tears will just fade
To a memory that just slips and fades away (slips and fades away)



Deadweight - some fuzzy effects at the beginning with more synths and spitfire drumming. The lyrics of this song are all about shedding pride, focusing on "amazing grace", and dumping the deadweight that burdens us. For many, a favorite but I feel it lacks full impact coming directly after Weight of Glory. Still a 7.5/10.

No Tomorrow - a softer, slower paced song about feeling the hopelessness of sin. But it also expresses gratitude for the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made by taking our sins upon himself. Wolves at The Gate tackles central themes to Christianity very well with solemnity and reverence. 7.5/10.

Stop The Bleeding - this was the first song from the album that I heard and I have to admit, I did not like it. For whatever reason it just failed to hook me. I find the chorus very bland, "All we do is fight, fight, fight, and there's nothing to stop all the bleeding". I think this is the only serious misstep on the entire album. 2/10.

White Flag - a welcome song after Stop The Bleeding. Back to woahs, great drumming, and driving guitars. Has a sort of punk-rock feel to it. Another cheery type of song with the repeated line "raise the white flag for my life". A strong message of complete surrender. I love the way the song ends with screamed - "sing VICTORY!". 8/10.

Out of Sight - I love the intro on this song with beautiful extended whoa that will eventually be the melody to the chorus. Sort of a programmed beat. There is an audible warmth to the guitars on this song. It actually makes me feel warm in my chest. Another song about feeling the weight of guilt, shame, and sin. Asking God to take it away and put it "Out of Sight". 8.5/10.

Embracing Accusation - an odd song choice. This is a cover of a Shane & Shane song. Thematically it centers on the idea of the Devil accusing us and saying we are not worthy of redemption, we can't be saved. He is "The Father of Lies" but fails to acknowledge the core of Christianity - Jesus Saves. I've been pretty vocal over the years about not liking cover songs and this is no exception. 5/10.

Silent Anthem - the album goes out with a bang. "I'm not singing this song like it's gonna be the LAST TIME!" Pulsing drums. The guitars really drive this thing forward. Somewhat frantic. Then the song takes a turn and slows down considerably with strings and keyboards. Drums and guitars kick back in for the very end "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain". Repeated several times. 8.5/10.

This album was a much anticipated follow-up to Eclipse and in my opinion surpassed it. Highly memorable songs. I realize not everyone may be a Christian, agree with, or connect with the lyrical content. My hope is that you will at least give this album a chance and perhaps discover something that has been missing in your life. As a side note I bought this album on vinyl and the packaging is gorgeous - Overall rating 8/10. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/eulogies-l ... d=35518893

Image
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Red - Innocence & Instinct Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

And now we come to Red. I will be seeing them play with AB in February. It's been quite some time since I saw the band live on the Of Beauty & Rage tour - still one of the best shows I've had the opportunity to go to. The album that really made me a fan of this band was Innocence & Instinct. It had what I feel was their strongest lineup with Michael, the Armstrong brothers, Jasen Rauch (who went on to play guitar for Breaking Benjamin and Love & Death), and Joe Rickard (who played with In Flames and produced the most recent Starset album). I would rate Of Beauty & Rage ever so slightly higher due to overall consistency. Regardless, here's my take on I&I - The Deluxe Version - which still has some of the best album artwork and color scheme I've come across (very light grey, with red and black accents).

1. Intro (Canto III) - starts with a radar sort of beeping and then some whispered vocals. Overlapped by haunting piano courtesy of Rob Graves (check out his solo piano stuff) and a windy sort of bass.

2. Fight Inside - here we go. A pulsing song with orchestral/strings building. When the drums and guitars kick in it's full steam ahead. Michael Barnes' voice floats above the instruments beautifully - never muffled/buried/or overly processed. "The fight inside is coursing through my veins". A song about wrestling with your inner demons. "It's nothing......It's everything!". The riff that carries this song is infectious. End scream...."It's BREAKING me!" This to me is the signature sound of Red. 9.5/10.

3. Death of Me - swirling strings, dum-da-dum drums, great riff. Verses are almost talk/sung. "I should have seen all the signs all around me". The chorus is by far one of their best ever - "You tear me down and then you pick me up. You take it all and still it's not enough. You try to tell me you can heal me, but I'm still bleeding and you'll be the death of me". Also one of my favorite bridges, "I won't forget....". You just want to scream it out. Ever present are the violins that add an extra layer of icing but never distract from the vocals or guitars. They end the song with a sweet, almost sad outro. 10/10. Takes what makes Fight Inside so good and steps it up a notch.



4. Mystery of You - I love the intro - has a sort of an EDM type of feel to it. The strings, guitars, drums, and programmed elements blend SO well. There is a wonderful warmth to this. Anthony Armstrong takes what seem like simple riffs and just rolls them over and over again in the songs to make them memorable. I think this might be my favorite vocal from Michael Barnes, "somewheeeeeeeeeere, I will find, all the pieces torn apart". The guitar dropouts are well done. Some nice harmonization in the second half of the song. Michael really shines on this song with his voice lifting and falling wonderfully - "Don't goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" 9.5/10.

5. Start Again - a soft start to this one. Isolated guitar that feeds into a straight ahead rocking chorus line. Michael croons, "I remember everything........" The drums are very pronounced starting around 1:08. The doubled vocal line at 1:19 is very nice. A beautiful song about regret, emptiness, sorrow, and a longing to mend a broken relationship. There's a sincerity here. You can feel Michael pleading until he reaches the climax, "I'm lost WITHOUT you!" "One more try!" thunders in with full strings for added emphasis. 8.5/10.

6. Never Be The Same - acoustic intro set at a slower pace. Michael's voice is SO clear here with a wonderful rawness. The guitars drive the chorus nicely. It's a simple, happy song. The highlight is the bridge - "No, stay, nothing compares to you". 7/10.

7. Confession (What's Inside My Head) - one of the best guitar riffs on the album. Heavier. An angrier tone to this song. You can feel the anxiety. Red does a great job of taking a theme and crafting music to make you FEEL that in a song. This is a shorter song but ends with a BANG. "I confess, INNOCENCE (screamed)!" 7/10.

8. Shadows - here we are. When I first heard this song I knew it would be near the top of my list of Red's songs. Several albums later it's still top 5. The distorted guitar starts out in the left ear (headphones) and then it suddenly fills the speakers with a headbanging riff. Programmed drumbeat and very lively bass line from Randy. "Please don't let me fall forever!". The chorus is again one of their best, "I'm holding on to you, I'll never let go, I need you with me as I enter the shadows". Great echoed/doubled vocal touches throughout the song that are never overdone. A throat ripping scream followed by heavy guitar instrumental with strings woven into it. Abrupt end. I absolutely love it. Still sends tingles down my spine after all these years. Yes I'm going to do it - 11/10!

9. Ordinary World - I think this is where my dislike of cover songs started. It's not that I dislike the song or they don't perform it well. Perhaps it boils down to my gut feeling that bands should fill their albums with original material rather than trying to redo an existing song. First, this is overly loud from the start. Sounds like it's trying to be incredibly big with soaring strings. Almost as if it was meant for a movie soundtrack somewhere. Rumor has it that the record label pushed the band into recording this for the album. Definitely not a favorite of mine - 4/10.

10. Out From Under - whew, back to the good stuff. More programming on the intro. Thundering riff and drumming (I think it's Joe's best on the album). Michael's voice actually has a harsh effect put on it. Great screaming and swinging feel throughout the song. Featured string section and Michael moaning in the background. The song has a nice change of pace for the last minute or so. It has guitar dropouts and whispered sections. That whooshing wind noise is back again too. Final 20 seconds - "Pressure!". 8/10.

11. Take It All Away - some would describe this as a haunting song. Has a very sad feel to it. Acoustic feel and very heavy strings. The vocals are sung with whispered/harmonized sections. It sort of pushes along and starts to drag a bit. Piano makes an appearance along with drums toward the end. You can feel the song building in volume, swelling, the strings seem like they are going to explode and then the guitars come in strong. Michael repeats "You take away" over and over again. 5/10.

12. Overtake You - guitars and drums are balanced perfectly here. Much faster pace. More Michael doubled verses and splashy screams. Strings are muted but present. Drums are nicely featured. I really like the bridge, "you'll come to get/kill me but you'll end up dead!" 7/10.

13. Forever - one of my favorite extra/bonus songs Red has ever done. Bass line is front and center during the first verse with a smattering of piano. I love the pre-chorus "You waited 'til I sobered. You came when you knew that the game was over. I didn't even want to be found" and it feeds into the chorus where each line just builds on the previous. The guitar tone is awesome, bass lines are clear, drums have perfect punch, Michael's vocals cut through, and the strings come in at just the right times. VERY well done. 9/10.

14. Nothing and Everything - Rob Graves gets a chance to showcase his piano skills here. It's Fight Inside slowed/stripped down. Okay, but nothing particularly special. Has a saccharine feel to it. Just gets to be too much and the song is overly long. 5/10 to end the album.

Innocence & Instinct took what made End of Silence a good album and effectively built upon it. It delivers on a number of levels and contains what many fans would describe as some of their top songs. Overall I would give it 8.5/10.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Memphis May Fire - Remade In Misery

Post by Schulzy »

Switching back to 2022 and my favorite albums of this year. Memphis May Fire - Remade in Misery. They made an interesting choice to release singles on a regular basis with accompanying performance videos - WARNING ABOUT STROBING LIGHTS!.

1. Blood & Water - super distorted climbing guitar riff/hook. Impossible to resist bobbing your head to the verses. Matty Mullins has one of the best clean vocal tones in metalcore. The chorus is extremely well done - catchy. Highlight - "you can't believe what you hear from the mouth of a serpent!" They also have some of the best breakdowns I've heard. "You'll fool me one, twice, never again". Awesome growl "Never AGAAAAAAAAIN!" Quiet moment to lead into the last minute of the song. This is polished, elite tier metalcore. 9/10.

2. Bleed Me Dry - heavy riffage. Some may say too similar to Blood & Water but I disagree. Great drumming here that picks up the pace. I think I actually like this chorus better than B&W. Matty seamlessly moves between harsh/clean vocals. "Cut, cut you out!" 8.5/10.

3. Somebody - Kellen McGregor knows how to do distinct guitar riffs. Each song has a slightly different flavor to it. A little slower here but the guitar line repeats several times throughout the first verse. Some scattered electronic elements. The chorus builds nicely. Much more of a straightforward rock song rather than traditional metalcore. Simple, yet effective. Matty throws in a screamed "Can I be revived?!" to add some punch towards the end. One of the weaker songs but not terrible. 7/10.

4. Death Inside - I like the snarling guitar and immediate vocals. "My mind is RACING!" There are tasty little guitar lines - descending scales. The pounding "I see the hourglass, flipped upside down". Another pace changing chorus. "Will I give up and never reach the end?
Get lost inside of my own head? My demons feed on what is yet to be, death inside of me". The message resonates with me - Time is limited, what are you doing with your life? Are you giving into your desires/demons? One of my favorites. 9/10.



5. The American Dream - maybe the speediest song on the album. MMF just pumps out memorable choruses - this song is no exception. Zipping guitars stand out backed by showcase drumming. A statement song "We don't know what we're dying for!" 7.5/10.

6. Your Turn - Matty comes in right away. Great guitar to break up the intro and first full verse. A karma song about admitting your own fault when you've denied it for too long. It's coming for you. One of the best breakdowns. "Two Faced!" Consistent. 7.5/10.

7. Make Believe - softer opening. Alternating keyboard line. A big question, "Is it all make believe?" Programmed beats. Wondering if we have any control or is it all just a game/simulation. Do we drift through life without any purpose? Are we lost? 7.5/10.

8. Misery - here's another standout guitar intro. They work hard to not have the songs blend into each other too much. I like the drums here. Talking about how we often dig our own graves by decisions/actions we take. The breakdown just throbs in your head. 7.5/10.

9. Left For Dead - this might have been my favorite out of the early releases. Right up there in pace with The American Dream. Moves along quickly. Has a good heavy feel to it. Sing songy chorus. Could be the most pronounced bass on the album here. For some reason I like to whistle the chorus. "You're a skeleton without a spine!". Slows up for a few seconds before going back into final chorus. 8.5/10.

A reaction video from Wyatt and Lin - skip ahead to 3:00 mark.


10. Only Human (featuring AJ Channer of Fire From The Gods) - AJ comes in rapping over the guitar. Matty growls "I'm not perfect like you! So if you think that you can do better why don't you?". My favorite breakdown on the album. Lots of good stuff - solid guitars, drumming, and chorus. 9/10.



11. The Fight Within - after moving along quickly for 10 songs things slow down here to finish the album out. Some doubling effect on Matty's voice - harmonized with heavy programming and beats. Drums come in for second verse and subtle piano. It's building nicely but drops out suddenly at 1:45. The piano comes in along with guitars at 2:30. Full force for the final minute and a half. "I can see my growth in pain". Sums things up nicely. 7.5/10.

All together a very solid album from MMF. Does it reinvent metalcore? No! But it does everything well - vocals, lyrics, guitars, drums, programming, and incredibly catchy choruses. I can't think of any glaring weak points outside of Somebody. I enjoyed this album so much that I bought it on vinyl - https://www.bestbuy.com/site/remade-in- ... merreviews.

It hovers between 8.5-9/10 and will probably be in my top 3 of 2022 along with the previously reviewed Eulogies by Wolves At The Gate.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown

Post by Schulzy »

Going back in time again to one of my all time favorite albums. I can still remember hearing the Meant To Live guitar riff on the radio driving around Phoenix, AZ during my college years. Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown - turned me onto the band. I bought every album they put out up to Vice Verses. Then, they lost me. Their more recent output is forgettable, and sometimes even painful to listen to. But I digress.

1. Meant To Live - man, oh man - what a way to open an album. A top 10 song of all time here for me. The panning guitar to open this is classic - instantly recognizable. Jon Foreman's vocals were at total peak here. Just enough rawness combined with a pleading tone. It's perfect in so many ways. Every instrument is clear and easy to pick out. The bridge is phenomenal. What a melody and lyrics! "Have we lost ourselves?" I love songs that make me question myself and the world around me. 10/10.



2. This Is Your Life - tremendous bass to open this. Gorgeous sounding effects backing Jon. Talking about how time passes. Another big question song, "This is your life, are you who you want to be?" Just stop........and think. When I talk about how a song feels - it often comes back to temperature. Incredible warmth here. Almost dreamy vocals and echoes. Heart wrenching harmonies near the end. Wow! 10/10.

3. More Than Fine - an acoustic driven song with some hand clapping. Do you want more than just okay? Drums and guitars kick in around 1:24. Upbeat, maybe an accordian towards the end of the chorus? Fantastic balance in the sound here. How do they do it? Drums feel centered, guitars pushed wide, and the bass and vocals soar above it all. Another 10/10.

4. Ammunition - stepping up the pace here. Chad's drumming sets the tone and then Tim's bass comes in. Somewhat muffled until the guitars blast into your speakers. A toe tapper. Love the driving guitar into the guitar - do-do-do-do-DO-DO! Each song has its own signature and this is no exception. I love the part where Jon's voice is separated into the left speaker from the guitar in the right speaker - "We've been blowing up with the issues!" 9/10.

5. Dare You To Move - This is the remixed version after being released on Learning to Breathe. A song that forces you to stop and just listen. Magnificent chorus. It hits me in the stomach. A challenge to get back up when you feel like you can't go on. I love singing along to this. "Maybe redemption has stories to tell. Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell." That makes my throat tighten up almost 20 years later. When the guitars die down at the end I realize I've held my breath. A-ma-zing! 10/10.



6. Redemption - upbeat. I realize listening to this album again that I know ALL of the lyrics to every song. Jon's voice is somewhat monotonous but then rises at just the right points. "Come aliiiiiiiiiiiiiive". He sings up and down wonderfully. Punctuated perfectly at the end. 8/10.

7. The Beautiful Letdown - I LOVE the bass on this. Highlighted by programmed beats which are present throughout this album. Jon sings "burned" with great tone. "I was trying so hard to fit in until I found out......I don't belong here". The timing of instrument introduction in this song is perfect. Group vocals in the background at 2:15 are a highlight. While this song is longer - 5:22 - I never find myself getting bored or losing interest. Just when you think it's over at 3:28 there's more to come. "The church of dropouts, sinners, losers, failures, and fools". WE are the beautiful letdown. I can't think of any better way to answer the unspoken question, "Who/What is it?" 9/10.

8. Gone - Ha-Ha! It's a fun song. Somewhat silly lyrics. I love the chorus and how they sing "Gone!". It's a she said, he said contrast in the lyrics. I feel better after listening to this. That's one of the major things I look for in songs - do they make me FEEL something? An ode to things that don't last. Jon goes on a sing-songy almost spoken end of the all the things that disappear. 8/10.

9. On Fire - I take a deep breath when this comes on. Switchfoot can write tear-jerking ballads. Piano intro. Sounds like it was recorded in a big church with significant reverb. The acoustic guitars come in along with drums and bass but that piano lingers. The backing "Fire" sounds like it is spoken with a long exhale. Whispered - mysteries..... There's a stuttering effect on Jon's voice. He repeats "standing on the edge of me" over and over again. What does that mean? Again, a song that makes you THINK! Mesmerizing. 9/10.

10. Adding to The Noise - a return to happy guitars. How do they do this? I can't resist singing "If we're adding to the noise, turn off this song". The drum line mirroring lyrics on second verse is just fun. The stuttering guitar line stands out. Ending of "stereo radio" coupled with whoas makes me smile. 9/10.

11. Twenty-four - sometimes simple is best. Jon singing over acoustic guitar. He's so comfortable doing this. "Life is not what I thought it was twenty four hours ago, still I'm singing spirit take me up in arms with you". They capture the idea of time in this song. I like where it transitions to a different idea - twenty four reasons to admit why I'm wrong. Towards the end we get some strings for added emotional pull. 9/10.

Twenty-four oceans
With twenty-four hearts
All of my symphonies
With twenty-four parts

Why is it that when certain albums end you feel sad.......you want more? This is one of them. I alternate between 9 and 10/10 for this. In my top 10 albums all-time.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
AHart96
Rise Today
Posts: 3606
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 3:16 pm
Location: Long Island, New York

PVRIS - “White Noise”

Post by AHart96 »

Jumping back to 2016 and the good old days of freshman year of college - I was just getting back from a trip to Germany and France, and my buddy played PVRIS’ “White Noise” for me for the first time. Funny enough, I heard the song “Fire” earlier in the week as part of WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view without realizing who it was. This album was massive for me in the sense that it began to broaden my taste in music and was the first time I truly got out of the hard rock bubble. This is a hidden gem that should’ve been a much bigger deal in my opinion. Some standouts from the album:

1. You and I - This wasn’t on the original album, but instead included as part of the deluxe edition, and I can’t imagine the album starting any other way. Incredibly dynamic song with a phenomenal vocal performance. 9/10.

2. Smoke - I believe this was the album opener on the original edition, it also works incredibly well in that spot. It’s got such a great vibe with a lot of attitude, one of my favorites. 8/10.

3. St. Patrick - I think this was one of the two biggest songs from the record. It’s one of the more upbeat tunes and incredibly fun. 8/10.

4. My House - The biggest song from the record - it’s still got the upbeat, fun nature of St. Patrick with more of an edge. 7/10.

5. White Noise - This is my favorite vocal performance on the album. It leans a bit more into pop territory than some of the other songs, but the lyrics and vocals really elevate it to something special. If I could only choose one song to keep from the record, this would be it. 10/10.

6. Fire - This was my introduction to the band, and it’s a very solid, straightforward rock tune. 7/10.

7. Ghosts/Let Them In - I’m including this as a combination because they go so incredibly well together to close the record, and the band’s official video is one massive song. Let Them In specifically is a BANGER and has probably my favorite vocal hook on the record. 9/10.

It’s tough to classify this album - it covers a wide range of styles and does them all incredibly well. Lots of synth, pop, punk, and rock elements blended together that’s brought together by some excellent lead vocals. Can’t recommend it enough.
Image
Rock Never Dies

Thanks for the sig Don Harry!

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Re: PVRIS - “White Noise”

Post by Schulzy »

AHart96 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 12:21 am Jumping back to 2016 and the good old days of freshman year of college - I was just getting back from a trip to Germany and France, and my buddy played PVRIS’ “White Noise” for me for the first time. Funny enough, I heard the song “Fire” earlier in the week as part of WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view without realizing who it was. This album was massive for me in the sense that it began to broaden my taste in music and was the first time I truly got out of the hard rock bubble. This is a hidden gem that should’ve been a much bigger deal in my opinion. Some standouts from the album:

1. You and I - This wasn’t on the original album, but instead included as part of the deluxe edition, and I can’t imagine the album starting any other way. Incredibly dynamic song with a phenomenal vocal performance. 9/10.

2. Smoke - I believe this was the album opener on the original edition, it also works incredibly well in that spot. It’s got such a great vibe with a lot of attitude, one of my favorites. 8/10.

3. St. Patrick - I think this was one of the two biggest songs from the record. It’s one of the more upbeat tunes and incredibly fun. 8/10.

4. My House - The biggest song from the record - it’s still got the upbeat, fun nature of St. Patrick with more of an edge. 7/10.

5. White Noise - This is my favorite vocal performance on the album. It leans a bit more into pop territory than some of the other songs, but the lyrics and vocals really elevate it to something special. If I could only choose one song to keep from the record, this would be it. 10/10.

6. Fire - This was my introduction to the band, and it’s a very solid, straightforward rock tune. 7/10.

7. Ghosts/Let Them In - I’m including this as a combination because they go so incredibly well together to close the record, and the band’s official video is one massive song. Let Them In specifically is a BANGER and has probably my favorite vocal hook on the record. 9/10.

It’s tough to classify this album - it covers a wide range of styles and does them all incredibly well. Lots of synth, pop, punk, and rock elements blended together that’s brought together by some excellent lead vocals. Can’t recommend it enough.
Nice to see somebody else posting in here! :wave I will check this out - specifically your recommendations of White Noise and Ghosts/Let Them In.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Re: PVRIS - “White Noise”

Post by Schulzy »

AHart96 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 12:21 am 5. White Noise - This is my favorite vocal performance on the album. It leans a bit more into pop territory than some of the other songs, but the lyrics and vocals really elevate it to something special. If I could only choose one song to keep from the record, this would be it. 10/10.
I really enjoyed the music video for this song. I've been big on female vocalists over the last few years - Spiritbox, Evanescence, The Letter Black, and Icon For Hire. I didn't realize PVRIS is from Lowell, MA and they were on Rise Records for a while. They sound a little like Icon For Hire minus the hard rock influence.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Fire From The Gods - American Sun

Post by Schulzy »

Ah, 2019. This was a big music year for me. I was introduced to a ton of bands I'd never listened to before and started exploring the metalcore genre. My favorite album of the year was Fire From The Gods - American Sun.

1. Truth To The Weak (Not Built To Collapse) - right from the get go we are introduced to AJ Channer's smooth vocals and a hip-hop beat. He has some of the same tone as Lajon from Sevendust and exhibits a nice balance of power and restraint. His accent is unique with a bit of England and Jamaica thrown in. They pack a ton of lyrics into their songs. It's a great album opener. We get the immediate feeling that this is an album with a focal point on truth, justice, representation, resiliency, and disillusionment. 8.5/10.

2. Right Now - The guitars give great depth to the song. A nice musical line travels through the song. Much more grit to AJ's voice here. He yells, "Tear down these walls!" and later, "Something's got to change, RIGHT NOW!". They do a great job of expressing frustration and impatience with the state of the world. The bridge is well done, "If we all take a second and listen...." There's a real sense of urgency here. 8.5/10.

3. American Sun - has a reggae style intro and some horns are introduced in the first verse. What a nice touch in a hard rock song! AJ raps here. He has a nice soft sound to his voice before the chorus which has that thick, heavy sound. Some na-na-na-nas and la-la-la-las to bridge. "This goes out to future, and peace". 8/10.

4. Trust - one of my favorites. The guitar riff is super. There's some noticeable bass here too. Great programmed beats combined with the drums. Musically a standout - some distinct variation. The question/message is a simple one, "Who will you trust?" Challenging liars and hypocrites. The end with chanted Oh-ohs adds that tasteful extra element. 9.5/10.



5. They Don't Like It (featuring Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D.) - a snaking guitar line coupled with AJ and Sonny. They trade off nicely in the chorus. Expressing the fight back mentality of people who have felt silenced or ignored. 8/10.

6. Fight The World - another of my favorites. "With my eyes still open, and my spirit broken, you know I'll be fightin' the world while I'm alive". I love the guitars towards the end and a little swirly turntable effect. Abrupt end. 9/10.



7. Victory - top song on the album for me. "I could have stayed down...." A great grunted ooh! Getting to the upper register of AJ's voice on this one. More great bass work in the verses. The guitars have tremendous drive - duh-na-na-na-na - that accentuates the drumming. "It ain't over til the day I taste VICTORY!". Powerful, simple, and motivating. Don't give up. Keep fighting even when you feel like you can't. 10/10.



8. Make You Feel It - piano to open this one. AJ just cries out "I'm gonna make you FEEL it!" I repeat, the guitar tone on this is really nice. AJ has super smooth rapping here, "cut through the madness in these dark times". High energy that is sustained throughout the song. 8.5/10.

9. Survivor's Prayer Interlude - I like how this breaks up the album into thirds. I'm still reading through the lyrics on this almost three years later. The most hip-hop/rap influenced feel on the album - very poetic. Ends with, "I have conquered my demons". 8/10.

10. All My Heroes Are Dead - bob yo head. I love a good bouncy song. This works. Explosive chorus! Lamenting the loss of heroes. The stutter-stops are well done. Nice change with the acoustic drop-out towards the end. 8.5/10.

11. Out of Time - probably my second favorite song on the album. Palm muted guitar and you can hear the bass very clearly. "I sold myself a truth and an illusion. I believed what they said, that I'm useless/worthless". Sometimes you just feel down. Like there's no way out. How do you pull yourself back from that? The drum roll into the final chorus is awesome. This song makes my whole body move. 9.5/10.



12. Another Level - has a snarly guitar sound (angry tone). Kind of an old school hip-hop vibe. Very synthy sounding in the chorus. Shouty. You can feel the frustration. Gets a little warmer in the bridge. 7/10.

13. Break The Cycle - I like when bands decide to save softer songs for the end of rock albums. It's a nice calm down after getting pumped up for 12 songs. Some synthy type strings backing this with an echoed drum beat. Sums up the album nicely - we are tired of social issues/fighting/disagreements/wars and it's time for a united effort to change. 8/10.

I really enjoyed this album. Even listening to it again while I write this review I said that to myself several times. It sounds great, thoughtful lyrics, super consistent. That's the recipe for me. Guitar solos - nope, incredible vocal harmonies - nope, crazy electronic elements - nope. Just solid, well-done rap-metal/hard rock. 9/10.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Skillet - Comatose Album Review

Post by Schulzy »

Where were you in 2006? I had just moved to Massachusetts. There were a bunch of Christian rock groups that I started listening to - Decyfer Down, Red, Disciple, and Thousand Foot Krutch. But the leader of the pack was.....Skillet - Comatose. Say what you will about them, this album sounds great and is incredibly uplifting.

1. Rebirthing - they know how to do album openers. This song is straight in your face with symphonic force. John's vocals are very strong here. The backing vocals by Korey were somewhat weak but still effective. The guitars have oomph. Lyrically they explore the idea of being reborn and truly living. 9/10.



2. The Last Night - semi-ballad. The formula is set for this album - big buildups to even bigger choruses. A song for those who feel hurt, lonely, and beaten down. It's hopeful and reassuring. 8.5/10.

3. Yours to Hold - Skillet does ballads well without becoming overly sappy. Similar theme to The Last Night about seeing somebody hurting and reaching out to do something as simple as giving them a hug/hold them. 8/10.

4. Better Than Drugs - picks up the pace again. Great guitar riff. This is a song though where John gets criticized for his lyrics. They don't flow well together and can seem trite or childish. It tries to push the point across that Jesus/God is so much better than the things we become addicted to, and that's good. 7/10.

5. Comatose - I know, some may say too similar to Rebirthing. It works though. Lyrically very strong - and they repeat this theme throughout many songs - including the entire Awake album. Just enough strings and they know how to craft powerhouse sing-along choruses. This is one of their best. 9/10.



6. The Older I Get - another song about hurt and expressing regret. John's singing is very consistent on this whole album. He's got a certain power and just enough grit to cut through the instruments. 7/10.

7. Those Nights - a simple song about remembering the happier, innocent, days of youth. Spending time with the person you love and just talking/laughing. 6/10.

8. Falling Inside The Black - does an excellent job of describing despair and hating that feeling while hoping for a way out. The opening guitar line and panning swirl into angsty, hard rock. You can feel the bass here. John reaches to the height of his vocal range. The call/response vocals would become a signature sound especially when Jen Ledger joined the band. We even get a guitar solo from Ben Kasica. It's one of my favorite songs on the album. 9.5/10.



9. Say Goodbye - I feel this is the lowest point on the album after the high of FITB. It falls into the trap of every formulaic rock ballad. Basic song structure - verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus #2. Simple guitar chord progressions with even more simple drumming. Overdone lyrics, and it goes on too long. 4/10.

10. Whispers In The Dark - quite possibly my favorite Skillet song.....ever. The intro rocks. I learned how to play this song on guitar - super fun. Super strong lyrically - repeated elements of previous songs but done so much better. John's voice rises with the riffing. It's a spine tingler. I LOVE the chorus! "No, you'll never be alone. When darkness comes I'll light the night with stars!" Ben's guitar solo is oh-so-sweet. I never get tired of hearing this song. 10/10 and I'd go as high as 20/10.



11. Looking For Angels - I don't quite get the lyrics here. John does spoken poetry for the verses. He's trying to fold almost every heartache moment - homelessness, social injustice, hunger, loss of innocence, fear, pain, discouragement - into the song. I guess it's saying that people are looking for angels and they show up when they are needed most. 6/10.

It's an up and down album with incredible high points and some questionable low points. I still put it at the top of my list of Skillet albums though. 8.5/10. They have not strayed too far from this sound over the last 16 years and that's okay. I know what to expect from them and they do it very well. Easily one of the best live bands I've ever seen - especially when they bring in the violin and cello players. They actually stole the show when I saw them play before Creed back in 2012.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

User avatar
Schulzy
White Knuckled
Posts: 243
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:05 pm
Location: The Hawkeye State

Issues - Headspace Review

Post by Schulzy »

When I first heard of the band Issues it was in 2019 on Pandora. They have a fun blend of funk, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, and definitely metal/hard rock. I'd lump them into the same nu-metal group as early Incubus (oh, that reminds me I need to review Make Yourself). After the introduction I dug into their albums and Headspace emerged as my favorite. Released May 20th, 2016 - according to Google.

1. The Realest - nice bass groove. "Another waste of HEADSPACE! Uh!". Funky, with contrasting heavy guitar riffage and high neck scaling. They do one of my favorite musical things where the guitar riff and drumming mirror each other. The chorus is hard to ignore "A blessing in disguise"....8.5/10.



2. Home Soon - another funky intro. Let's talk about Tyler's vocals for a second - super poppy a-la Backstreet Boys - and then Michael comes in with the harsh metalcorish stuff. Tyler's phrasing is quasi-rap. The backing music comes in choppy bursts. Great bass work towards the muted end. 8/10.

3. Lost-N-Found (On a Roll) - harsh metalcore vocals from Michael to open the song. Then Tyler comes back in with the falsetto. One of my favorite choruses, "Hey sleepwalker tell me where have you been!" 8.5/10. And, we get some Michael Jackson style oohs! Unexpected! 8/10.

4. Yung & Dum - it's got a country feel to it with a cool electronic/synthy line. Michael gets a chance to really spit the opening verses. AJ does such fun guitar stuff with the chord progressions. Tyler gets super rappy and there's nice back and forth before the chorus. Jon Langston (country singer) comes in for a cameo. 8/10. It transitions smoothly into..

5. Made To Last - another of my favorite choruses "I've been changing, can't believe how long that I've been waiting". A head-bobber. "We were made, we were made (Made To Last)". Michael tries to sing here - thankfully it doesn't last long. The guitar stabs really stand out. Synthy end. 8.5/10.

6. Flojo - some turntable scratching, and then muted bass. Heavy. More scratching. Michael is going full tilt. Get the funk out! Pace changes to rapid and then back to funky. Isolated guitar, then back to heavy riff/drums. The song starts to drag a little for me at the end. 7/10.

7. Hero - jazz/funk fusion. Tyler at his best. Michael attempts singing again - nope. Otherwise, this song hits on all levels - singing, chorus, bass, and drums are all top notch. 8.5/10.

8. COMA - one of the best guitar riffs on the album from AJ. Also, one of the few times where I actually like Michael's pre-chorus singing "say something, I'm not giving up on you". 9/10.



9. Rank Rider - another punchy, choppy, guitar riff. Softer singing from Tyler with nice harsh contrasting vocal from Michael. This is where he's at his best. Maybe the most poppy chorus on the album. I also like the "oh, oh, oh, ohs" in the background - memorable. Scratchy end. "Ain't got time for that!" 9/10



10. Blue Wall - gets heavy again. Tone change. This song is about police brutality - complete with siren in the background. Hard to understand Michael's lyrics on this - you can hear "crooked swine". It's another headbanger but not one of the top songs to me. 7/10.

11. Someone Who Does - the drumming is super jazzy to open here. I like Tyler's vocal flow that matches it. Michael actually sounds good here. Another solid chorus that is very catchy - "I've had so much I could say to you". Lyrically about a father who leaves and it's the mother who cares. 8.5/10.

12. I Always Knew - an interlude - static talking with programmed beats. I think this might have been designed to be a live walk-up intro.

13. Slow Me Down - carries the same feel from I Always Knew. Singing about building rage. Begging for someone to "Slow Me Down". It's a story song - about discovering somebody having an affair. You can feel the anguish throughout this one. 8/10.



Overall, a band with a very distinct sound. There's some definite thought to the lyrics they write. I don't always agree with them. In spite of the recent falling out with their vocalist I still listen to their music and enjoy it. I'd give this 8.5/10.
Image
_^:Tangled in your trance and I'm certain:^_

Post Reply